JERRY SPRINGER : THE OPERA
'Jerry Springer : The Opera' still has the power to both shock and make you laugh out loud, and, more importantly, to make you think about the role of the media and of organised religion.
Sound Ideas Theatre Company
It is a good fifteen years since I watched the DVD version of Richard Thomas and Stewart Lee's irreverent and controversial musical satire, 'Jerry Springer : The Opera'. It was a BBC recording, with David Soul in the title role. Over the decades, stars like Harvey Keitel and Michael Brandon have also played the part, but last night, at Norwich Theatre Playhouse, it was the turn of local actor Thom Bailey to shine like a diamond as he delivered a stunning interpretation of how the infamously controversial 'trash' television host faced his final judgement in front of both God and Satan.
Norwich based Sound Ideas Theatre Company never disappoint with their productions, and huge respect is due for even contemplating the tackling of such a controversial work, but tackle it they did and excelled themselves once again, with a production that really got to the core what the show is about - a judgemental televison host encouraged to titilate and entertain audiences at the expense of real people's lives and emotons.
Thom Bailey leads a cast that veritably revives all of the characters of this infamous theatrical pastiche, charismatically assisted by Leo Oakley as diabolic warm-up man, Satan; Laura Marvel as Mary; Chris Brown as God; Daniel Smith as Jesus; and Emma Seamarks, of course, as Baby Jane.
With its pre-recorded instrumental soundtrack and supplemental video material projected via television monitors, the show did, at times, feel a bit like an off-the-shelf production, but that is not to dismiss strong individual performances from both the key players and the entire supporting cast.
Twenty two years after its theatrical debut at Battersea Arts Centre, the religious themes and allegories remain as potent and relevant as ever. Despite protests from groups like Christian Voice it remains a feature of our own tolerant society that shows like this are able to be performed, and huge respect to Sound Ideas for having the courage and conviction to bring it to the Norwich stage.
It may not be for the faint-hearted or the easily-offended, but 'Jerry Springer : The Opera' still has the power to both shock and make you laugh out loud, and, more importantly, to make you think about the role of the media and of organised religion.
